Wet carpet’s a problem in your Indianapolis, Noblesville, or Carmel home. If you don’t get it dried out, you’ll end up with that wet carpet smell, rot, or even wet carpet mold.
A homeowner often discovers wet carpet in the basement. If it’s part of a bigger basement water damage problem like a flood, you’ll need a water mitigation company. But if all you’ve got is wet carpet, it’s possible you can dry it out yourself. For carpet installed on top of a concrete slab, follow the three steps below.
Dry Wet Carpet Step #1: Pull the Corner of the Carpet and Carpet Pad
You want to find the heaviest (and thus the wettest) corner of the wet carpet. Pull up it. (Pliers can make the task easier.) Be careful not to damage the carpet fibers.
A light up-and-down motion will get the carpet loose from the tack strip.
As a rule, the installers glued the carpet pad to the concrete slab. A small screwdriver or scraper will get it loose.
Dry Wet Carpet Step #2: The Air Mover
You’ve got one corner of the wet carpet and carpet pad up. Now you need to put a snout-nosed air mover beneath the carpet pad. The particular piece of equipment is available at most any big-box store.
The carpet and carpet pad should float once you turn the air mover on. If they don’t, your problem is that air is escaping. Weighing down the carpet on either side of the snout will hold the air in.
Dry Wet Carpet Step #3: Keep the Air Mover Running for Several Days
Ideally, after several days, the carpet and carpet pad will feel dry when you touch them.
If they don’t, try putting a small electric heater beside the air mover. Hot air may do the trick where cooler air didn’t. Or isn’t doing it quickly enough to suit you.
If you’re getting that wet carpet smell, disinfect with a botanical anti-microbial product.
You may not trust the touch method to tell you if the carpet and carpet pad in your Indianapolis, Noblesville, or Carmel area home are getting completely dry. In that case, buy a moisture meter. You can pick one up without spending a lot, and it will give you an accurate indication of how the drying is coming along.
